Give to the Max Day blasts off Thursday across Minnesota. It's an annual 24-hour giving blitz for charities, churches, nonprofits and schools.

Thousands of nonprofits across the state are holding fundraising events designed to attract new and old donors, from dog training classes and "Yappy Hours" at Helping Paws in Hopkins to round-the-clock comedy at HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis.

The luckiest groups are offering matching donations, such as Advocates for Human Rights and Campfire Minnesota, which received matching funds from the Otto Bremer Foundation of St. Paul.

Before you log into the computer and make online pledges, here are some things you might like to know:

A. The GiveMN staff and others will be based at the Mall of America, in the southeast court, where they will host livestream coverage, interview nonprofit leaders and host an evening concert and networking event.

Q. Are there bonus prizes again this year?

A. Yes, every hour for 24 hours, one nonprofit and one educational group will be randomly chosen to receive a $1,000 prize. Plus two lucky groups will be awarded $10,000 bonus prizes Friday.

Q. How much money do people donate?

A. The minimum donation is $10. The biggest donation ever was $100,000.

Q. How long has Minnesota held Give to the Max Day?

A. The online fundraiser was launched in 2009, when Minnesotans donated $14 million, a national record.